Paul A. Eisenstein: New Honda Insight a big improvement

Wednesday

Aug 26, 2009 at 12:01 AMAug 26, 2009 at 8:21 AM

The 2000 Honda Insight was the first hybrid-electric vehicle to reach North American shores, but while it was a visual standout and delivered record fuel economy, the teardrop-shaped two-seater wasn’t quite practical enough for U.S. buyers, and it left the market in 2006.

Paul A. Eisenstein

The 2000 Honda Insight was the first hybrid-electric vehicle to reach North American shores, but while it was a visual standout and delivered record fuel economy, the teardrop-shaped two-seater wasn’t quite practical enough for U.S. buyers, and it left the market in 2006.

Honda has brought back Insight for 2010, but this time, the Japanese maker is bolting that nameplate onto a roomier five-door hatchback that also happens to be the most affordable hybrid ever to reach the American market.

The 2010 Honda Insight is still a visual standout, much like the Toyota Prius, which it is going up against. And like its rival, the new Honda is equipped with a combination of a gasoline engine – in this case, a 1.3-liter inline-four – and an electric motor that derives its power from a set of nickel-metal hydride batteries.

There are, however, some equally big differences between the two vehicles.

Prius is a so-called “full” hybrid, its Synergy Hybrid Drive capable of operating on either gasoline or battery power alone, or combining both when an extra bit of acceleration is needed. The Insight is a “mild” hybrid and can only use its battery power as a sort of “electric supercharger” to assist during acceleration.

The less complex Honda Integrated Motor Assist, or IMA, powertrain is one reason Honda can bring the 2010 Insight in for just $20,510 plus delivery charges. A special “stripper” edition of the Prius, created by a nervous Toyota to give Insight some competition, still goes for $22,750 plus delivery. At current fuel prices, it would take a decade to make up the difference through Prius’s higher mileage.

The Toyota gets 51 mpg city, 48 highway, according to the EPA, while Insight is rated at 40 mpg in town, 43 on the open road.

Overall, Insight is a fair bit smaller – sharing its platform with the subcompact Honda Fit. But it does offer a bit more cargo space than Prius.

What the Honda hybrid lacks is visibility. The unusual shape of it hatch cuts clearly into your rearview mirror, a severe drawback, and forward lines of sight are also a bit compromised.

Performance is just barely acceptable – with 0 to 60 times of about 11 seconds – until you switch to Eco Assist. True, fuel economy goes up by 10 percent, but in this mode, the throttle is intentionally slow to respond, damping out those little foot wiggles that normally rob us of better mileage.

On the whole, the 2010 Honda Insight is likely to appeal to those who want to show the world they’re green but have a shortage of greenbacks. Those who appreciate a little performance and can afford other options are likely to look elsewhere.

Paul A. Eisenstein is an award-winning journalist who has spent more than 30 years covering the global auto industry. His work appears in a wide range of publications worldwide, and he is a frequent broadcast commentator on subjects automotive.